Mmm, erynne936, I love cosmopolitans. I don't really think of them as martinis, but they are served in martini glasses, and now that I think of it, probably do appear on martini menus. Yes, the fact that martinis are served with olive is one of the things that makes them great. Maybe you should start out with a not too dry shaken dirty martini if you would like to attempt to acquire a taste for them. Gin or vodka as you see fit, but vodka martinis just make me sad. Unless it's something like a chocolate martini, in which case gin would probably be gross.

I have only had foofy ones. My (alcoholic) father was a vodka martini* man, and I mixed a fair number of them as a kid... kind of turned me off, y'know? Although I like gin so maybe I oughta try one some time.

*dry, stirred 11 times, no more, no less or he'd complain. Four olives.

Gin, thus, stirred- only potato vodka benefits from extra shaking for my palate. Extra dry, vermouth should just be a wisp of a flavor. Extra dirty, three olives. Olives on a sprig of rosemary in my dreams.

Only about 9 months ago did I find out that Martini & Rossi and Campari vermouth are not vegan. I miss martinis.

This! I don't like the briny taste olives give the drink, but I think the lemon makes it more refreshing and compliments the aromatics much better.

Also, shocked at how many people are saying shaken! You're watering down your wonderful gin!

Chill the glass. Pour just a bottlecap's worth of vermouth over the ice in your shaker. Stir to coat, then strain. Throw in your gin (I like Bombay Sapphire), lightly stir for about ten seconds, strain into your chilled glass garnish with a lemon twist. Extra dry gin martini with a twist.

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I prefer gin, dirty with lots of olives....but I found out (at a company xmas party no less) that gin affects me very badly. After just one, my face got really red, including my eyes, i got SUPER drunk (and believe me, i drink often enough that one drink never gets me sloshed) and i had one of the worst hangovers of my LIFE.

My brother (who is also a medical student) says that used to happen to him when he drank gin as well, something about a sensitivity to Juniper berries. I guess a lot of people are like that with Tequilla too, a sensitivity to the plant it comes from. Thank god not me, i love tequilla.

But I digress...this means I must enjoy Vodka martinis, which i love. When my best friend and I really wanna get wasted in a bar/club we drink dirty martinis. Our dates always like roll thier eyes when we order them. "here we go..." haha

I must admit I like a cosmo from time to time, but only made at home with fresh lime juice and just a tiny splash of cranberry juice (not the crappy cranberry cocktail juice, real cranberry juice)

Gin, thus, stirred- only potato vodka benefits from extra shaking for my palate. Extra dry, vermouth should just be a wisp of a flavor. Extra dirty, three olives. Olives on a sprig of rosemary in my dreams.

Only about 9 months ago did I find out that Martini & Rossi and Campari vermouth are not vegan. I miss martinis.

I never knew until this thread. Somehow I thought most liquor was vegan? Color me heartbroken.

Gin, thus, stirred- only potato vodka benefits from extra shaking for my palate. Extra dry, vermouth should just be a wisp of a flavor. Extra dirty, three olives. Olives on a sprig of rosemary in my dreams.

Only about 9 months ago did I find out that Martini & Rossi and Campari vermouth are not vegan. I miss martinis.

I never knew until this thread. Somehow I thought most liquor was vegan? Color me heartbroken.

Mexican martinis! Not a real martini, just a margarita with olive juice and served in a martini glass basically, but so delicious. Also potent, and you are typically given an entire shaker's worth, so. the perfect patio beverage.

Super cold, no shaking, minimal stirring, good gin (Bluecoat, Hendricks, Greylock). An olive or a twist, but I always rub lemon rind around the rim of the glass. To get things really cold I keep the gin and the glass in the freezer so the tiny bit of vermouth I slosh around freezes in the glass.

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